Power means for steering automobiles



P 1930. w. w. FULLER 1,775,163

POWER MEANS FOR STEERING AUTOMOBILES Filed May 2'7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 b N 1 N N -Q N V a $3 & Q N

I an a i Avid I INVENTOR WITNESS:

Sept. 9, 1930. w. w. FULLER 1,775,163

PQWER MEANS FOR STEERING AUTOIOBILES Filed May 27, 1930 3 Sheets-Shut 2 INVENTOR WITNESS:

Sept. 9, 1930. w. w. FULLER POWER MEANS FOR STEERING AUTOIOBILES Filed May 27, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVENTOR WITNESS:

Patented a, 1930 PATENT oat-ice WILL! W. FULLER, OI savman, GEORGIA POWER KEANE FOB STEERING AUTOMOBILES am... med lay :11, mo. Serial Io. 45am.

This invention relates to'power means for operating the steerin mechanism of a motor vehicle and the like, t e general object of the vinvention being to provide motor driven gears, with means for frictionally connecting the gears with the steerin mechanism by the operation of the hand w eel so that the o rator can control the movement of the vehole, through the power means, the same as if he was steering by hand.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combi' nation and arrangement of the several parts to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically ointed out in the appended claim.

In escribing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or I0 corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure 1 is an elevation with parts in section, showing the invention in use.

Flgure 2 is a section on line 2- -2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

In these views,-1 indicates a motor which is attached by the brackets 2 to a part of the dash or instrument'board of the vehicle, the

shaft 4 of the motor having a beveled-pinion 5 thereon. A casing 6 is attached to a part of the motor and surrounds the steering shaft 7 and a sleeve-like extension 8 of the hub of the steering wheel A. Cup-shaped gears 9 and 10 are arranged in the casing with their flanges adjacent each other, these gears being rotatably arranged on the shaft and on the extension. The teeth of each gear are arranged in an annulus on the outer face of the flange of the gear, gaging both sets of teeth. Thus both the gears will be rotated from the motor, one in one direction and the other in the opposite direction.

A ring 11 is keyed to the lower end of the extension 8 and carries a projection 12 to which are fastened the cross heads 13; a secthe movement of the hand wheel ceases with the pinion 5 en- K ond ring 14 is keyed to the shaft and this ring carries a rojection 15 which is op itely arran ed mm the projection 12. S oes 16 and 1 of curved shape, are each pivoted at one end to the projection 15 and the other end of each shoe is pivoted to an end of the cross head 13.

The wheel A has a certain amount of play on the shaft 7 so that when it is moved in one direction, the cross head will move one shoe against the inner face of-one of the gears and it will move the other shoe away rom the inner face of the other gear. Thus the first gear is frictionally engaged by its shoe so that the gear will be frictionally connected with the shaft through means of the shoe and the projection 15 on the ring 14. Thus the motor will turn the shaft through the means described, in the same direction that the hand wheel is turning. As soon Its t e pressure of the shoe a ainst the gear will be relieved and thus the s aft will come to rest. When thehandwheel is turned in the opposite direction, the second shoe will be pressed against its gear and thus the motor will turn the shaft in the same direction the wheel is being turned.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided sim 1e means for turnin the shaft 7 by motor riven means, the app ication of the power being wholly controlled by the hand wheel so that the driver steers the vehicle just the same as he would if the invention were not in use.

This method of control uses a much sought and needed principle in making hand and power steering practical, namely,

(a) The application of power exactly asrequired to move a greatlyvariable or var ing no load, that is, not too much and not too little power.

(b) There is no conflict (and cannot be) between this hand control and the application of the power, since there can be no power applied or power control without the customary hand control, which is kept intact.

(a) The power as applied to steering is directl in proportion to and res onds only to hand pull on steering wheel, ten ing to and 100 alwa s relieving any undue hand pull on whee (d) The power control is likewise the hand control and are the same and one, and yet there is no interference, for should the power fail, the usual hand control remains.

(e) By applying directly under steering wheel as shown, and connecting directly to steering wheel shaft, no reduction gears are required, likewise, less power is required.

However, it could be connected to any other 7 part of steering gear of the automobile.

It is thought from the foregoin description that the advantages and novel eatures of my invention will be readily apparent.

Itis to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is In combination with a steering wheel and Kits shaft, a casing surrounding a part of the shaft anda part of the wheel, a motor supported from a part of the vehicle and having its shaft extending into the casing, a pinion on the shaft, a pa1r of cup-shaped gears rotatably arranged in the casing and having their teeth engaging the pinion so that one gear is rotated in one direction and the other in an opposite direction, a member fastened to thesteering shaft, a pair of shoes each having one end pivoted to the member, a cross head attached at its center to 'a ring fastened to the steering shaft, the ends of the members bein pivoted to the shoes so that one-shoe will he pressed against a gear when the wheel is turned in one direction and the other shoe will be pressed against the other gear when the wheel is turned in an opposite direction.

w. FULLER. 

